Mr Big

Bollywood stars may have moved on to more opulent ways to arrive, but the Q7 — now in petrol — can still deliver the goods, if not the flash.

- Tushar Burman

FOR A TIME, THE AUDI Q7 SUV was a popular way for Bollywood to arrive. These were the days when one still had to rely on the grey market for something particularly flashy; you couldn’t just get off a regional flight and buy a Maserati. Bipasha Basu had one, and if you don’t remember who that is, you should Google it and upload a vlog on your YouTube channel.

The Q7 is a large vehicle, and the largest SUV that Audi currently makes. It’s over 5m long and 2.2m wide, with generous seating for seven. In 2018, what it lacks in pomp it makes up in sheer practicality and useful features. We were sent the “Technology” variant, which is roughly Rs 7 lakh above the starting price. The design language is in line with what we’re seeing in Audi’s sedans, with nice sharp creases taking over from the giant hotdog shape of the Bipasha era. Of course, it gets Audi’s famous Matrix LED headlamps.

With only two variants available, one would expect the full set of features, and this is what you get with the Q7. A 19-speaker Bose music system is present, as is MMI Touch with a 8.3 inch retracting MMI screen in the centre. Audi’s ‘virtual cockpit’ is also offered, which replaces traditional dials in front of the driver with a 12.3 inch full-colour TFT screen. This is a very useful addition, particularly to read navigation guidance, and we’re glad Audi’s putting it in most of their new vehicles.